Now showing 12 September 2026 to 28 February 2027
Indigo: a century of resist dye
Sixty cloths from Ibadan, Abeokuta and Oshogbo, made between 1920 and today, most of them by women whose names were not recorded. The first full survey of adire in the city where much of it was sold.
- Where
- Room 4 and the Paper Room, first floor
- Tickets
- Timed tickets ₦8,000, including the collection. Members free.
- Time needed
- 40 to 60 minutes
The exhibition in four rooms
- 1
The plain cloth
Hand-loomed cotton and, from the 1930s, imported shirting. A loom set up in the gallery shows how strips were woven and joined.
- 2
Paste and thread
Cassava starch painted through metal stencils, or raffia stitched and tied before dyeing. Thirty tools lent by working dyers.
- 3
The pit
Indigo leaves fermented with ash in clay pots and later in concrete pits. A short film shot at a compound in Abeokuta.
- 4
The line
Cloths drying in the sun, sold at Oje and Dugbe, worn at naming ceremonies and later turned into wall pieces by artists such as Adebimpe Ogunleye.
Works in the show
A few of the works on the walls. Labels in English and Yoruba; large print guides at the entrance.
Around the exhibition
Talks, workshops and late openings run alongside the show.
- A 35 minute audio tour with the curator and two artists, free on your phone
- Workshops on most Saturdays, from ₦4,000 for families
- A 160 page catalogue in the shop, ₦22,000
- Curator's walks twice a month, ₦3,000 with your ticket
Questions about this show
Can I take photographs?
Without flash in most rooms. Some lent works are marked with a small camera crossed out; please respect it.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes. A family trail and a drawing table sit at the exit. Children under 12 are free.
Is the room step free?
Yes, by lift from the ground floor. Benches are in every room of the show.
Also on
Stop press
Choose a time for Indigo
Book a timed slot, pay by card or transfer, and show your ticket at the door.